US2218929A - Deviometer - Google Patents

Description

octz'z, 1940.- T wKENYN- .2,218,929

DEVIOMETER Filed March 12, 1936 7 sheets-sheet 2 V my. 6,]

H/` ATTORNEY.

Oct.v 22, 1940. T. w. KENYON 2,218,929

' l DEVIOMETER Fiid Maron 12. 195e 7 sheets-sheet s Oct. 22,1940'. T, W` KF .-.YONA 2,218,929

4 DEvIoMETER Filed March 12. `1956 7 sheets-sheet 4 l Zfcgj J I E .v j la I @nu J Wnelss I V l 'Ina/12H07 HIS HTOR/VEY,

Oct. v22, 1940.` I T.- w. KENYON 2,213,929 DEVIOMETER I 'Filed March 12, 1935A 7 snets-Sheet 5 l1. 'THE DORE W ENYaN By o# v H/s nwomvfym Patented Oct. V22,

' PATENT OFFICE'.

. DEVIOMETER.

Theodore W. Kenyon, Huntington, N. Y., assignor to Sperry Gyroscopey Company, Inc., Brooklyn,

N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 12, 1936, Serial No. 68,392 i The present invention relates 'to flight or atti- .tude indicators for aircraft wherein the course or change of course of the craft is indicated and, preferably, also the attitude of the craft, at least in elevation. At present. two separate instruments are utilized to perform these functions, namely, the directionalgyroscope for course and course changes and the gyrcscopichorizon for pitch. My invention not only combines the functions of these two instruments, but possesses the marked superiority over either of them that it' is not disturbed or rendered temporarily inoperative by stunting maneuvers.

More particularly, my invention constitutes an improvement on the type of indicator or deviometer disclosed in my prior applications for Methods and means fory indicating deviations of craft, Serial Nos. 736,565 and l736,566, illed July 23, 1934.

One object of the present invention is to improve on indicators of this type, whereby the total course change of the craft may be indicated to better advantage' on a separate dial. By the present invention I have also greatly improved the operating motors which operate the deviometer at a rate proportional tothe Vtotal precession ofthe gyroscopes with a high degree of accuracy, whereby, by integrating the movements thereof with respect to time, the device performs the function o'f a directional gyroscope. According to the present invention, I employ small hydraulic motors for operating such means, controlled by a piston valve connectedto the two gyroscopes, and I preferably immerse the entire apparatus in a thin oil 'so that minor leaks in l the s'ystem become unimportant. 4 f

A further improvement is theaddition of a di- Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, the outer casing being shown in section.

Fig. 3 is a top or plan view of the operating portiony of the mechanism. i'

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the same.

Fig. 5 a -side elevation of the same fromthe lside opposite Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a front view of "the same.

Fig. '1 is a vertical section, on a larger scale, of one ofthe gyroscopes employed. 5

Fig.-8 is a side elevationof the same.

.Fig. 9 is a face view of one of the small hydraulic engines which operate the mechanism, on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 10 is a section taken approximately on line 10 Ill- I9 of Fig. 9. 1

Fig. 11 is a transverse section taken approxi- K mately on line lI-II of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a side view o`f the oil pump which supplies pressure for driving the engines.

Fig. 13 is a face view thereof.

Fig. 1'4 is a section taken on line H-Il of Fig. 13. I l

Fig. 15 is a face view of the form of the invention shown in Fig. 1, which is somewhat diierent 20 from the forms shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

Fig. 16 is a detailed side elevation-of the pendulum for'actuating the pitch indicator of Fig. 1.

Fig. l7 is a plan view of a modified form of gyroscope. v l

Fig. 18 is asectional detail of one of the piston valves of the engine.

Fig. 19 is a detail of the lead-in spring wires for driving the motor of the gyroscope.

As in my prior applications, I employ a plu- 30 rality of gyroscopes, each having two degrees of freedom, which are caused to precess upon turning of the craftl about one axis through an angle proportional to the rate of turn. 4Thus, I employ'. one such gyroscope responsive tolturning of 35 the craft in azimuth and another such gyroscopev responsive, say, to pitching of the craft, that is, turning about a transverse axis in elevation. Obviously, if desired, a third gyroscope could be employed, responsive to roll of the craft.

f One of such 'gyroscopes 5 is shown in Figs. 7

' and 8. If this is the pitchindication gyroscope,

the trunnion axis I-2 would be mounted fore'i andaft on the craft with the spin axis 3 of the gyroscope would precess out of the plane of th paper in Fig. 7. The rotor is shown as journaled in casing 5, which is preferably made liquid-tight The gyroscope is yieldingly held centralized by any suitable spring means. In Fig. 8 such means is shown as comprising a U-shaped strip I0, the curve of which may be adjusted by the screws II and I2 on which its ends rest. On said pieceI bears a roller I3 held by a spring arm I4 so that when the gyro precesses around the axis I-2, a yielding force will be exerted to- 2| and take-up spring 22 so that the valve may be set in the proper position with respect to the gyroscope.

Said valve may be in the form of a cylinder valve 23 (see Fig. 10) which controls the operation of the tiny hydraulic multi-cylinder engine 24. (These figures are approximately double scale.) With the valve in the central position shown in Fig, 10, the engine is at rest. If the valve be moved upwardly in this gure, the oil entering through pipe 25 will pass through port 26 into the upper end of distributing valve 21 and drive the engine in one direction, while if the valve be moved downwardly, the port 26' will be opened and oil enter the lower end of the distributing valve to drive the engine in the opposite direction. The engine is shown as a radial reciprocating engine having five cylinders in this instance, the iive pistons being connected to a common crank pin 28 on crank shaft 29, which is counter-balanced by the counter-weight 30 which counter-balances the connecting rods 3l and pistons 32 as well.' The distributing valve is preferably double ended so as to supply the actuating liquid to the cylinders in either rotational direction. It is shown as housed within a cylindrical housing 33 which has arranged around the same five pairs of ports 34 and 34'.'v The two ports of each pair 34 and 34' are axially spaced but in the same radial plane, and both lead through transverse passages 35 to the respective cylinders. The distributing valve is shown as having a cut-out portion 36 at its upper end and a second cut-out portion 31 at its lower end and circumferentially spaced 180 from portion 36. which act to connect, in one instance, the intake port 38, connected to port 26. with the upper series of ports 34 in turn, while cut-out portion 31 acts in the same manner to connect intake port 38 with the lower series of ports 34' in turn, thus driving the engine in either direction dependent on the lposition of valve 23. As shown..

in Fig. 11, there maybe one, two or three pistons operating at the same time, so that excellent efficiency is secured. 'I'he valves also return the oil to the pump through the opposite ports from the ones being used for the incoming oil, the oil supply discharging into the casing from either open end ofhousing 95 of valve 23.

Oil is supplied to the engines fromA any suitable form of pump, such as the electrically driven gear pump P shown in Figs. l2 to 14. In this case the oil is drawn into the pump through the screenAO and is pumped by the intermeshng gears 4I, 42 out through pipe 43 to the several engines employed.

In Figs. 4 and 5 the pitch gyroscope is shown at 5 and the azimuth gyroscope at 5', the latter being shown as mounted on horizontal trunnions 44 extending fore and aft on the craftwith a transverse spinning axis. The engine for gyroscope is indicated at 24', the valve rod being at I5, while the engine for the azimuth gyro is shown at 24' and the valve rod at I6'. The former engine, 24, is shown as driving an endless belt 45 through the pinion 46 on the crankshaft 29 which meshes with a larger gear 41 on the shaft of which is pinion 48, driving through a succession of intermediate gears 49 a pinion 5D on the shaft 5I of a roller 52, over which the belt 45 passes. The belt also passes around a lower idling roller 53. Said belt is shown as in the form of a pair of spaced cords or small cables 54, 54' having transverse spaced bars 55 connecting the same to form slats or a icket fence effect when revolved. Similarly, the engine 24' drives a corresponding roller 52' at one side 0f the instrument through pinion 48' on the crank shaft and gear 41', pinion 48', and similar gear- Aing. 49', which rotates the pinion 50' on the shaft 5I' of roller 52'. Said belt may be similarly and is shown as placed within the endless belt 45, so that the front View of the instrument appears as shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 1 shows how the face of the instrument appears with the outer casing applied. In this figure the spacing of the cross slats kis slightly modied, being placed in groups of three so as to facilitate counting the same as they move across the face of the instrument, for the purpose hereinafter explained. This modification is shown also in Fig. 15, with the cover removed.

The arrangement is such that the background cross bars move in the direction that points on the real horizon appear to move upon turning and pitching of the craft, and at a rate proportional to the rate of turn. If both angular move-. ments occur together, both belts move at the proper rate so that a true representation of the apparent horizon movement under such circumstances is still obtained.

With the construction so far described, the aviator is furnished with a means for showing not only deviation from course or level flight, but also is furnished with a fair estimate of the rate of deviation and of the amount of deviation. The cross bars on the belt move at an exact rate proportional to the rate of turn of the aircraft during the turn, and their speed of movement gives the aviator an estimate of the rate at which he is turning. In my invention, however, I employ no scaleor other indicator showing the rate of turn as a quantity, which characterizes the commercial turn indicator. Also, by counting the bars as they move across the face, the aviator may obtain an exact index of the extent of course change.'

I prefer, however, to supplement this means by a course indicator or compass card shown at 53, 51 in Fig. 1. As shown, the dial 56 is normally stationary and is read in connection with a pointer or index 51 which is moved in accordance with the amount of deviation of the aircraft. /If originally set on the true compass directions, as by means of the push knob 5B, the device may therefore be used as a compass and becomes, in eect, a form of directional gyroscope. The pointer 51 i.S Shown as driven from an annular gear 59 eov mounted under the graduated or bezel ring 56 (see Fig. 2) and to which the-pointer is secured. Said ring is turned from a pinion 60 which is shown as driven through universal couplings 6| and 62 from a bevel gear 63 which, in turn, is driven from a cross shaft 64. Said shaft may be driven directly from the pinion which rotates the roller 52', through intermediate gearing 65, and the gearing is arranged with respect to the speed of the engines so that the angular movement of the pointer 51 is equal to the deviation of .the craft in azimuth from the original course. In other words, the total movement is shown as an angle equal to the course change, the rate of movement being of course much less than that of the cross bars vdue to reduction gears 60, 59, etc. l

For showing the amount of pitch, I prefer to employ a separate indicator in the form of a normally horizontal bar 66 pivoted at 61 and extending at. least part way across the face of the instrument. Said bar is securedA toa sleeve 80 journaled on a Vshaft 61 mounted in a xed bracket 8|. The bar is shown as bent downwardly and around the side of the bracket 8|, as indicated at 82. Below the same there is a small pendulous bell crank lever 83 pivoted at 84, having an arm 85. The motion of said pendulum is transmitted to the bar 66 through a miniature chain or cord 86, one end of which is secured to the arm 85 and the other end to the sleeve 80. 'I'he sleeve is normally biased in one direction by a coil spring 81 which takes up the slack in the chain and rotates the sleeve vin case the pendulum moves to the rightin Fig. 16. 'I'he pendulum may be damped as by means of a piston or ball 88 which is connected to the bell crank arm 85 through link 89, and which is mounted within a close fitting cylinderv 99. Normally, the pendulum 83 hangs vertically, which holds the bar 66 horizontal, but in case of upward pitch or climbing of the craft, for instance,

the pendulum will swing in the direction shown in Fig. 16 and move the bar upwardly, as shown in Fig. 1. Similarly, downward p itch will cause shown in Fig. 18. 'I'hese valves are made very small and light and are shown as made out of a hollow thimble 68 in which is threaded a small set screw 69. The piston rod 10 is shown as pinned to the screw by cross pin 1|. After the screw is positioned at the proper place, the head may be slightly spread by driving a small wedge into the screw slot 12, thereby securing the screw in place.

A somewhat different form of centralizing spring for the gyroscopes is shown in Fig. 17. In this form a flat spring 13 is secured to one trunnion of the gyroscope and engages one or the other of stop pins 14 and 14' upon precession of the gyroscope. An additional curved leaf spring` 15 may be provided, which normally bears against adjustable set screw 16 for the purpose of counteracting the spring effect of the lead-in wires 11 which lead current in to drive the rotor. Said wires are shown in the form of L-shaped pieces normally bent to exert a slight torque on the gyroscope in the opposite direction to spring 15.4v

the set screw 16 being adjusted until the two torques balance (see also Fig. 19) l As many changes could be made in the above construction andmany apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A directional indicator forraircraft showing the direction and amount of deviation from course, comprising a constrained gyroscope mounted for precession through an angle proportional to the rate of turn of the craft, a hydraulic engine having a control or throttle valve connected to and operated by said gyroscope, so constructed and arranged as to cause said engine to be driven in a direction and at a rate proportional tothe extent and direction of precession of said gyroscope, and a course indicator actuated by said engine. f

2. A directional indicator for aircraft showing the direction and amount of deviation from course, comprising a constrained gyroscope mounted for precession through an angle proportional to the rate of turn of the craft, a. hydraulic engine having a control valve connected to and operated by said gyroscope, so constructed and arranged as to cause said engine to be driven in a direction and at a. rate proportional to the extent and direction of precess'ion of said gyroscope, and a cylinder 'rotated about a vertical axis by said engine, rotating markings left or right in a verticalplane. v

3. A directional indicator for aircraft showing the direction and amount of deviation from course, comprising a constrained gyroscope mounted for procession through an angle proportional to the rate of turn of the craft, a hyldraulic engine having a control valve connected to said gyroscope, so constructedand arranged as to cause said engine to be driven in a direction and at a rate proportional tothe extent and direction of prece'ssicn of said gyroscope, and a. compass card indicator actuated from said engine showing the course by its position.

.4. A directional indicator for aircraft showing the direction and amount of deviation from course, comprising a constrained gyroscope mounted for precession through an angle proportional tothe rate o fturn of the craft, a hydraulic engine having a control valve connected to said gyroscope, so constructed and arranged' as to cause said engine to be driven in a. direction and at a rate proportional to the extent, and direction of procession of said gyroscope, a cylinder driven by said engine showing 4by' its movements the rate and direction of turn of the craft, and a compass card indicator also actuated from said engine, showing the course by its position.

5. An' attitude and course indicator for aircraft comprising a pair of constrained gyroscopes mounted -for precession, respectively, upon turning and tipping of the craft, a pair of motors con- 7. In an aircraft indicating instrument, an

outer casing normally lled with a transparent liquid such as light oil, a motor driven pump, a hydraulic engine driven by said pump, a control .valve therefor, means responsive to angular movements of the craft in one plane for actuating said valve, an indicator actuated/'by said lengine, all of said mechanisms being/sealed within said casing, and a window in said/casing, through which said indicator is visi'bla/ I 8. The combination with a/gyroscope mounted for oscillation about a single axis and having a rotor and a motor for spinning the same, of a centralizing spring for yieldingly opposing precessionv in either direction about said axis, lead in wires for the spinning motor having resiliency and biased to exert a small torque in one direction on the gyroscope about said axis, a second spring for exerting an opposing torque, and means for adjustingsaid second spring to balance the said two turques about said axis. y f

9. In an integrating instrument for producing motion at a rate proportional to the position of a`rate of turn gyroscope, the combination with such agyroscope, of a plurality of radially arranged cylindersfand pistons, a common crank shaft therefor', adouble ended distributing valve turned with saidshaft and adapted to supply liquid to the cylinders in either rotational diirection, and a slide valve connected to and actuated from said gyroscope so constructed and arranged asto supply the actuating liquid to one or the other end of -said valvel and at a rate dependent/upon the position of said member.

10. A' course indicator for aircraft including a rate of turn gyroscope, a multi-cylinder reversible engine, and a single slide throttle valve for said engine connected to and moved by said gyroscope in a direction and amount controlled by the direction and rate of turn.

11. A course indicator for aircraft including a .rate of turn gyroscope, a hydraulic pump, `a multi-cylinder reversible engine driven by said pump, and a single slide throttle valve for said engine interposed between the pump and. en-

gine and moved by said gyroscope in a direction and amount controlled by the direction and rate of turn of the craft and controlling the flow of liquid between the pump and engine.

12. A directional indicator for aircraft showing the direction and amount of deviation in the course, comprising a constrained gyroscope.

mounted for precession through an angle proportional to the rate of turn of the craft, a uid motor, a reversible throttle valve controlled through precession of said gyroscope and so constructed and arranged as to cause the motor to be driven in a direction and at a rate proportional to the extent and direction of precession of said gyroscope, a compass card actuated by said motor through one revolution for one complete turn 'of the craft, and'a resetting knob con-- nected to said cardfor synchronizing it with the magnetic compass. 75

13. A directional indicator for aircraft showing the direction and amount of deviation inthe course, comprising a ,constrained gyroscope mounted for precession through an angle proportional to the rate of turn of the craft, a reversible variable speed motor controlled through precession of said gyroscope and so constructed and arranged as to cause'the motor to be driven in a direction and at a rate proportional to the extent and direction of precession of said gyroscope, an endless surface having appropriate indications and actuatedby the motor, and a compass card also rotated by said motor through one complete revolution fora complete turn of the craft, both said card and surfacebeing visible at the -face of the instrument.

14. A course indicator presenting a checkered surface formed by separate belts movable at right angles toione another and each being subdivided by a series of parallel lines at a substantial right angle to its line of motion, a uid motor connected to each belt, anda constrained gyroscope controlling` the speed anddirection of each motor respectively in accordance with the direction and degree of precession of its gyroscope.

15. A course indicator presenting a checkered surface formed by separate belts movable at right angles to one another and each being subdivided by a series of parallel lines at a substantial right angle to its line of motion, a fluid motor connected to each belt, a constrained gyroscope controlling the speed and direction of each motor respectively imaccordance with the direction and degree of precession of its gyroscope,

- and a compass card surrounding said surface,

the readings of which are controlled by one of said gyroscopes.

16. An attitude and course indicator for aircraft comprising a pair of constrained gyroscopesv mounted for precession, respectively, upon angular movement of the craft about two mutually normal axes, a pair of motors controlled each .by

the precession of a respective gyroscope, an end-A less belt revolved transversely by one motor, and an endless belt revolved up or down by the other motor, one of said belts being behind the other and visible through it. i

17. In an aircraft indicating instrument, an outer casing normally filled with al transparent liquid such as light oil, Aa. pump, a plurality of hydraulic engines driven by said pump, control valves therefor, means responsive respectively to angular movements of the craft in a plurality of divergent planes for severally actuating said valves, respective indicators actuated by said engines, all of said mechanisms being sealed withinsaid'casing, and a window in said casing through which said indicators 'are all visible.

18. An instrument of the class described, comprising a gyro'unit of the turn indicator type having means for yieldingly opposing precessional `movements thereof from its normal position, a

cross bar device mounted vindependently of the gyro unit, and means for continuously imvpeiling said device across the face of the instrument during precession of said unit in a direction corresponding to the direction of precession and at a speed substantially proportional to the extent of precession, said means including a hydraulic engine connected to said device, and a reversing throttle valve therefor positioned by said gyro unit. v

19. A direction indicator for aircraft showing the heading and the ldirection and amount of course deviation, comprising a, closed casing for precession through an angle proportional to the rate of turn ofthe craft, a reversing speedl governing controller actuated thereby, a reversible variable speedv motor governed b y said controller for turning one of said card or index through an angle equal to a course change, and a barred background also turned by said motor at a greater velocity than said card and visible 'within said card.

20. A direction indicator for aircraft showing the heading and the direction and amount of course deviation, comprising a closed casing halving a front Window, a vertical annular compass card and index visible at said window, a constrained gyroscope mounted in said casing for vprecession through an angle proportional to the rate of turn of the craft, a' reversing speed governing controller actuated thereby, areversible variablespeed motorvgoverned by said controller for turning one of said card or index through an angle equal to a course change, a barred background also turned by said motor 'at a greater velocity thanV said cardand visible Within said card, and a resetting knob at the face of the instrument connected to said card for synchronizing the card with the magnetic Compass.

21. A course indicator for aircraft including a yieldingly centralized rate of turn gyroscope, a p multi-cylinder reversible engine, and a single reversing and throttle valve for said engine connected to and moved by said gyroscope, said valve having a central standstnl` position and operating to turn said engine in one or the other direction dependent on the direction oi' precession and at a velocity -proportional to the extent of precession of the gyroscope away from its 1 y Y centralized position.

22. A course indicator'foraircraft including a yieldingly centralized rate of turn gyroscope, amulti-cylinder reversible'engine, a single reversing andv throttle valve for saidengine con-L nected to and moved by said gyroscope, said valve having a central standstill. position and operating to turn said engine in one or the other direc-` tion dependent on the direction of precession and ata velocity proportional to the extent 'of precession ofL the gyroscppe away from its centralized position, anda plurality of different indicators actuated atdiierentspeeds by said engine, the slow speed indicator showing compass headings v25 and the high speed indicator showing by its direction `and approximate amount oi.' movement the directionjand amount of course change.

THEQDORE w. lILENYON. f ao

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